How to Fix the WordPress .htaccess File (Beginner’s Guide)

Your website’s .htaccess record is simply a mini but important record that runs down nan scenes and acts for illustration a group of instructions for your server.

The record tells really to grip things for illustration permalinks and information measures. Unfortunately, this record tin get corrupted for various reasons, starring to issues for illustration surgery links aliases a achromatic surface of death.

Our acquisition successful nan WordPress manufacture has taught america that editing nan record tin beryllium tricky, particularly for beginners. But don’t worry, we’ll thatch you really to entree nan record easy and make changes to resoluteness immoderate issue.

In this article, we’ll locomotion you done really to hole nan WordPress .htaccess file.

Here is simply a speedy overview of everything we will screen successful this guide. You tin click nan links beneath to jump to immoderate section:

What Is nan .htaccess File?

The .htaccess file is simply a hidden configuration record that plays a captious domiciled successful really your WordPress tract operates. It’s fundamentally a group of instructions for nan Apache web server, nan package that is typically tally by your WordPress hosting.

One of its halfway functions is creating user-friendly URLs for your blog posts and pages. These are nan cleanable and descriptive addresses you spot successful your browser barroom alternatively of long, cryptic strings.

You tin besides usage a .htaccess record to group up information measures for illustration password-protecting definite directories aliases blocking entree attempts from suspicious IP addresses.

Besides that, immoderate plugins usage .htaccess to instrumentality caching, which tin amended your site’s loading speed.

That said, let’s look astatine immoderate of nan signs that’d show your .htaccess record needs fixing.

How to Tell If Your .htaccess File Is Corrupted

The .htaccess record mightiness go corrupted for a fewer reasons. It could beryllium owed to a plugin conflict, accidental edits, aliases moreover a server glitch.

Here are immoderate signs you mightiness announcement connected your WordPress tract that propose nan .htaccess record is broken:

• Broken links: A broken link occurs erstwhile nan personification is not taken anywhere, aliases they spot unusual correction messages.
• White surface of death: This is erstwhile your website displays thing but a blank achromatic screen.
• Plugins not moving properly: Some plugins trust connected circumstantial instructions successful nan .htaccess record to usability correctly, but owed to an error, they don’t execute arsenic they’re intended.

Now, let’s look astatine different ways you tin entree and edit nan .htaccess record successful WordPress.

How to Access and Fix .htaccess File successful WordPress

The .htaccess record is located successful nan root directory of your website. There are different ways to entree and edit nan file.

For instance, you tin usage nan hosting provider’s cPanel and entree nan record utilizing nan File Manager. You tin besides link to your tract utilizing an FTP customer and position different files and folders. Another measurement is to usage a plugin to position and edit nan .htaccess record content.

Pro Tip: Before editing nan .htaccess file, it’s champion to create a backup of your WordPress website. This way, you tin easy reconstruct it if thing goes wrong. For much details, please spot our guideline connected how to backmost up a WordPress website.

Let’s look astatine each of these methods successful detail.

1. Fix .htaccess File utilizing File Manager aliases FTP Client

If you’re incapable to entree nan WordPress dashboard, past you tin usage a File Manager aliases FTP work to find nan .htaccess file.

To start, you tin unfastened cPanel of your WordPress hosting service. For example, successful Bluehost, you tin unfastened nan website settings.

After that, you’ll request to move to nan ‘Advanced’ tab.

From here, scroll down to nan ‘cPanel’ action and click nan ‘Manage’ button.

Once nan cPanel opens, you tin navigate to nan ‘Files’ section.

Go up and click nan ‘File Manager’ option.

Next, you will spot different files and folders connected your website.

The .htaccess record is located successful nan public_html folder. Simply unfastened nan files from nan paper connected nan near and scroll down to find nan .htaccess file.

You tin past right-click nan .htaccess record and prime nan ‘Edit’ action to hole immoderate issues.

Note: If you cannot find your .htaccess file, past spot our guideline connected how to find nan .htaccess record successful WordPress.

Next, a popup will open, informing you to backmost up nan original record earlier editing. Go up and click nan ‘Edit’ button.

On nan adjacent screen, you will spot nan .htaccess record editor.

Here, you tin make changes and hole nan file. For example, you tin cheque for immoderate typos, incorrect syntax, aliases incompatible codification that tin origin errors.

Alternatively, utilizing an FTP (file transportation protocol) client is different action for accessing nan file.

You tin find nan record successful nan guidelines directory. Simply right-click nan .htaccess record and click nan ‘View/Edit’ option.

If you haven’t utilized FTP before, past please spot our guideline connected how to usage FTP to upload files to WordPress.

Next you tin edit nan record successful notepad package connected your computer.

Once you’ve fixed nan .htaccess file, you tin upload it backmost to nan guidelines directory utilizing nan FTP service.

2. Fix nan .htaccess File Using a Plugin

If you’re capable to position nan WordPress dashboard, past different measurement of accessing and editing nan .htaccess record is by utilizing a plugin for illustration All successful One SEO (AIOSEO).

It is nan best SEO plugin for WordPress. It helps you optimize your tract for hunt engines without immoderate method knowledge. The plugin offers various tools, including a robots.txt editor, a .htaccess editor, database tools, and more.

To start, you’ll request to instal and activate nan AIOSEO plugin. If you request help, past please spot our guideline connected really to instal a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, you will spot nan invited surface and AIOSEO setup wizard. Simply click nan ‘Let’s Get Started’ fastener and travel nan onscreen instructions.

For much details, please spot our guideline connected how to group up All successful One SEO for WordPress correctly.

Next, you tin caput to All successful One SEO » Tools from nan WordPress admin sheet and move to nan ‘.htaccess Editor’ tab to edit nan file’s contents.

Once you’ve made changes and fixed nan file, simply click nan ‘Save Changes’ fastener astatine nan top.

Common Issues to Fix successful WordPress .htaccess File

Now that you cognize wherever to find nan .htaccess record and really to edit it, let’s look astatine different issues you tin hole successful nan file.

1. Fixing 500 Internal Server Error

A 500 soul server correction successful WordPress is simply a wide correction connection that indicates nan server encountered an unexpected problem and couldn’t fulfill your request. It’s for illustration a cryptic connection from your website saying thing went wrong, but it doesn’t springiness circumstantial specifications astir what.

The correction connection besides looks different depending connected nan web server package (Nginx aliases Apache) your tract uses. For example, here’s really it looks erstwhile utilizing Ngnix and Google Chrome.

This correction tin beryllium caused by a corrupted .htaccess file. You tin hole nan correction by replacing nan existing record pinch a caller one.

Simply entree your website’s guidelines files utilizing an FTP client. Then, rename nan existent .htaccess record truthful it’s disposable arsenic a backup and WordPress cannot admit it. After that, create a caller record successful nan directory and sanction it a ‘.htaccess’ file.

Now, unfastened nan caller record and edit it.

Go up and participate nan pursuing codification successful nan file:

For much details, please spot our complete guideline connected how to hole nan 500 soul server correction successful WordPress.

2. Fixing Error Too Many Redirects Issue

The ‘Error excessively galore redirects’ usually occurs owed to a misconfigured redirection rumor successful WordPress. This leads to a redirection loop, and you’ll spot this correction successful nan web browser.

One of nan to hole this rumor is by resetting nan .htaccess record successful nan guidelines directory.

First, you’ll request to sojourn nan guidelines directory of your tract utilizing an FTP customer aliases File Manager. Next, find nan .htaccess record and delete it. Now, effort visiting your website to spot if nan redirect correction is fixed.

Since you conscionable removed nan .htacess file, you’ll request to recreate it. WordPress automatically creates 1 for you. To make judge it does, simply sojourn nan Settings » Permalinks page from nan WordPress dashboard and click nan ‘Save Changes’ fastener astatine nan bottom.

To study much ways to hole nan issue, please spot our guideline connected how to hole correction excessively galore redirects rumor successful WordPress.

3. Fixing Posts Returning 404 Error

Another rumor you tin hole done nan .htaccess record is nan posts returning 404 errors. Usually, a corrupted aliases missing .htaccess record tin origin this error.

To resoluteness this issue, you’ll request to update nan record from nan guidelines directory and alteration nan record permissions. Simply find nan record utilizing an FTP client, right-click nan file, and past prime nan ‘File permissions’ option.

Next, you will spot different settings to alteration for nan .htaccess file.

Go up and make nan record writeable by changing its permissions and entering ‘666’ into nan ‘Numeric value’ box. Once that’s done, click connected nan ‘OK’ button.

For much ways to hole nan rumor and complete steps, you whitethorn want to spot our guideline connected how to hole WordPress posts returning 404 error.

There are galore different errors that tin hap connected your site, and you mightiness request to hole nan .htaccess file. See our complete database of nan most communal WordPress errors and really to hole them.

Bonus: Hire a WordPress Support Agency

Working pinch a .htaccess record tin beryllium tricky because it sometimes involves editing code, and accessing nan record tin beryllium stressful for beginners.

This is wherever a WordPress attraction and support agency tin thief you out. You tin prosecute WordPress experts who tin hole nan .htaccess record and grip everything for you.

For example, we connection Premium WordPress Support Services. For a one-time fee, our experts tin hole errors and different issues connected your website, including problems pinch .htaccess.

Alternatively, if you are looking for ongoing help, past our WPBeginner Pro Maintenance Services could beryllium a amended fit.

We person complete 16 years of experience, having helped 100,000+ users pinch WordPress and fixing their sites.

Our squad of professionals is disposable 24/7 to guarantee your tract functions properly. We will cheque whether nan .htaccess record is correctly configured aliases what needs to beryllium fixed truthful that your visitors person a awesome website experience.

You will besides get entree to halfway attraction tasks like backups, information updates, plugin troubleshooting, taxable customization, and on-demand support. 

You tin besides get different services for your WordPress website. See our complete database of WPBeginner Pro Services.

Additional Resources for nan WordPress .htaccess File

• How to Stop WordPress From Overwriting .htaccess File
• How to Limit Access by IP to Your wp-login.php record successful WordPress
• Most Useful .htaccess Tricks for WordPress
• How to Redirect a Page aliases URL successful WordPress (2 Methods)
• How to Fix Fatal Error: Maximum Execution Time Exceeded successful WordPress

We dream this article helped you study really to hole nan WordPress .htaccess file. You whitethorn besides want to spot our guideline connected eCommerce attraction tips and our master prime of nan best WordPress support agencies.

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About nan Editorial Staff

Editorial Staff astatine WPBeginner is simply a squad of WordPress experts led by Syed Balkhi pinch complete 16 years of acquisition successful WordPress, Web Hosting, eCommerce, SEO, and Marketing. Started successful 2009, WPBeginner is now nan largest free WordPress assets tract successful nan manufacture and is often referred to arsenic nan Wikipedia for WordPress.